Knowledge Base

Configure a SmartClient or FLX System to Boot to an Image Server

Overview of the Diskless Client Architecture

The diskless client architecture aims to take the best features from disked and thin clients into what Dell is calling SmartClient. The goal is to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) and make clients more manageable and easier to deploy.

The software that allows us to bridge this gap is called Ardence Streaming Platform. Using the Ardence Software-Streaming Platform, Dell can offer its customers the computing experience of a disked client with the advantages of a thin client.

As with the disked and thin client solutions, the diskless client solution also has advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages:

Centralized control and management of computing

No client hard disk to fail, reducing TCO

All clients stream the operating system from the server

Low cost terminals

Client patching/fixes controlled and managed centrally

Easy to deploy; can reboot to a different operating system

All processing done on the client side

All graphics done on the client side

Client acts and feels much the way that a disked client acts today

Can configure a common image to work on multiple client hardware configurations

Disadvantages:

Network required (single point of failure)

Small amount of customization

Difficult for mobile users

Configure a SmartClient System to Boot to an Image Server Using PXE

To configure a SmartClient system to boot to an image server (VDisk) using PXE, perform the following steps:

Power up the PC, or if the PC is already turned on, restart it.

Press <F2> in the first few seconds while the initial Dell logo is on the screen to enter the BIOS.

In the System Setup (BIOS), press <Down Arrow> to highlight Onboard Devices and press <Enter>.

Press <Right Arrow> to highlight On w/PXE and press <Enter> to enable PXE.

Press <Up Arrow> to highlight Boot Sequence and press <Enter>.

Press <Down Arrow> to highlight Onboard Network Controller and press <U> to move it to the top of the list.

Press <Enter>.

Press <Esc>.

At the Exit screen, press <Right Arrow> to highlight Save/Exit and press <Enter> to restart the system.

Note:

Systems may vary in the steps to ensure the NIC is enabled with PXE. For detailed instructions per system, please refer to the systems Owner Manual.

Enable Wake On LAN (WOL) on a SmartClient system.

To enable Wake On LAN (WoL), perform the following steps:

Power up the PC, or if the PC is already turned on, restart it.

Press the <F2> key in the first few seconds while the initial Dell logo is on the screen to enter the BIOS.

In the System Setup (BIOS), press the <Down Arrow> key to highlight Power Management and press the <Enter> key.

Under Power Management, press the <Down Arrow> key to highlight Low Power Management and press the <Enter> key.

Press the <Left Arrow> or <Right Arrow> key to highlight Enabled and press the <Enter> key.

Press the <Down Arrow> key to highlight Remote Wake Up and press the <Enter> key.

Press the <Right Arrow> key to highlight On w/Boot to NIC and press the <Enter> key to enable Wake On LAN.

Press the <Esc> key.

At the Exit screen, press the <Right Arrow> key to highlight Save/Exit and press the <Enter> key to restart the system.

Note:

Systems may vary in the steps to ensure the Wake On LAN. For detailed instructions per system, please refer to the systems Owner's Manual.

Ardence License Management Client License Errors

In instances where there are not enough licenses for all the available clients, the Ardence License Management tool will announce this after a successful boot to the image server. For example, if there are 50 licenses registered with a Licensing & Streaming server, then only 50 clients can be serviced by that server at a time. When the 51st client attempts to boot from the server the Ardence License Management tool will display a message (Figure 1). The same message will be displayed if the image server goes offline.

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